The invention relates generally to body side walls for motor vehicles and more particularly to the parts of body side walls of passenger cars and station wagons in the area of the rear side door opening.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A body side wall for motor vehicles of this type is known from the German Laid-Open Specification No. 24 28 477, in which a rear pillar is formed as a box support by joining a side wall inner panel and a side wall outer panel with an angular reinforcement panel. This box support is positioned adjacent to the front part of the wheel housing and is adapted to be connected to the longitudinal support of the body below the door entrance. The specification provides, however, no further details on the upper shape of the rear pillar or the front connection of the box support.
Another body side wall for motor vehicles is known from the German Published Specification No. 24 32 238, in which a U-shaped profiled reinforcement panel extends from the rear transverse support of the vehicle roof along the upper edge of the side wall inner panel and is then bent downwardly toward the rear part of the wheel housing and is welded essentially over its entire length to the side wall inner panel to form a box support. This arrangement of a reinforcement panel is intended to increase the energy absorption of the body structure in the event of a rear collision.
Another body side wall for motor vehicles is known from the German Pat. No. 29 31 467, in which a reinforcement panel, which is formed in a U-shape and which is supported at its lower end on the arch of the wheel housing, is disposed between a side wall inner panel forming a rear pillar and a side wall outer panel. An improved transverse rigidity of the bodywork is to be achieved by virtue of this reinforcement panel.
In the case of the last two known body side walls, the strength arising from the chosen design in the region of the rear side door opening is not substantially considered, since the designs are intended for motor vehicles in which a considerable rear body overhang makes an adequate strain path available in the event of a rear collision.